1. Throughout the semester, we will keep a record of your progress in a portfolio.
The first step is to create a container (folder, box, and so forth) for holding your portfolio items during the semester. You may decorate it as you wish and your name should be on the container. The reading portfolio is an individual assignment and you alone will take care of your reading portfolio.
A common portfolio consists of
• binder
• divisions labeled as follows (examples given):
vocabulary building
timed readings
summaries
closes
quizzes and tests
novels
personal projects
2. You will be required to submit three reading skills items for your portfolio. You may choose the format and topic, but each should be related to the units covered in class.
3. Each item included in the portfolio should be an example of your very best reading, and you will have several opportunities to improve an item if you and the teacher are dissatisfied with the results.
4. Please follow this schedule for your progression to completion of the portfolio:
July 9 assignment of first reading skills item
July 16 individual discussion of idea with instructor
July 23 progress report to instructor (self-evaluation)
July 30 presentation to instructor and suggestions for improvement
(conference)
August 6 the first reading skills item and self-evaluation due
August 13 the final evaluation and modifications plus self-evaluation
August 9 assignment of the second reading skills item
August 16 individual discussion of idea with instructor
August 23 progress report to instructor (self-evaluation)
August 30 presentation to instructor and suggestions for improvement
(conference)
September 6 the second reading skills item and self-evaluation due
September 13 the final evaluation and modifications plus self-evaluation
September 9 assignment of the third reading skills item
September 16 individual discussion of idea with instructor
September 23 progress report to instructor (self-evaluation)
September 30 presentation to instructor and suggestions for improvement
(conference)
October 6 the third reading skills item and self-evaluation due
October 13 the final evaluation and modifications plus self-evaluation
October 27 the entire portfolio due
5. You will have a number of personal projects to choose from. You will evaluate your own performance on these projects based on the following criteria:
1 point = yucky
2 points = marginal, but still pretty bad
3 points = acceptable
4 points = good
5 points = awesome!
main idea ___
supporting details ___
inferences ___
how you liked it ___
impressions ___
Personal projects include the following ideas:
a) Use a video camera and make a recipe from and English cookbook. Have a friend videotape you as you look at the cookbook, read the instructions out loud in English, and perform the actions described in the cookbook. Show the final product on the videotape. Include a copy of the recipe in your portfolio.
Variations: buy a machine and learn how to use it
b) From an instruction manual, follow the directions in an effort to build and complete a project. You may build a model rocket, a model car, an origami sculpture, a geophysical map, set up a computer program, design a web site, etc. Provide in your portfolio the following:
the final product,
a half-page report on how the process went (can be in Arabic)
a copy of the instructions
c) Collect a series of advertisements, information from airline, train, or bus schedules, menus, songs, applications, signs, or telephone book clippings. In a report, describe the following things:
what information you wanted
how you got the information
how you felt when you got it
In addition, highlight the important information with a yellow or orange marker and write notes in the margins.
d) Watch a silent movie such as Laurel and Hardy or Charlie Chaplin. Write a report on the movie. This report may be in Arabic.
e) With the instructor, arrange a time to watch a captioned English movie without the sound. Write a report on this movie. This report may be in Arabic.
f) Other project of your choice: Create your own reading skills project. Please discuss the details with the instructor.
6. Rating each reading project
Give a similar scale rating in answering the following questions:
Overall project
Did you learn something from the project other than reading skill? _____
Process development
Did you eliminate problems? _____
Skill development
Did you improve your reading? _____
Accurate completion
Is your final project a masterpiece? _____
1. Throughout the semester, we will keep a record of your progress in a portfolio.
The first step is to create a container (folder, box, and so forth) for holding your portfolio items during the semester. You may decorate it as you wish and your name should be on the container. The writing portfolio will be an individual assignment. Although you will be doing some group work, you alone will take care of your writing portfolio.
A common portfolio consists of
• binder
• divisions labeled as follows:
elective projects
long term project
journal
2. You will be required to submit several writing skills items for your portfolio. You may choose the format and topic. Ideas will be given in the following pages.
3. Each item included in the portfolio should be a tangible example of your very best writing, and you will have several opportunities to improve an item if you and the teacher are dissatisfied with the results.
Elective
projects
1. Using a set of cartoons, write the dialog that belongs to the blanked out bubbles in each comic strip. (These cartoons should not be from the newspapers or from any kind of publication in which the final balloon is usually represented by a punch line. Instead, examples from adventure strips such as Superman or Japanese manga may be more appropriate.)
2. Write a set of descriptions on a set of 10 photographs. The descriptions should each be at least one paragraph long.
3. Write a dialog or reader’s theater concerning one of the topics discussed in class. You may make up your own characters. The dialog should be at least 30 lines longs.
4. Give a printout of 10 e-mail messages you have sent to other people. These messages should be at least two paragraphs long. Furthermore, each message should cover different subjects.
5. Submit a copy of a personal letter in English you’ve written.
6. Plan a large supper, create a grocery list, and write the instructions for how you make this large supper.
7. Write a set of directions or instructions. Possible topics include directions for a babysitter, a housesitter, or a dogsitter; for building some art project; for completing a chore; or other ideas.
8. Fill out an Arabic language application form, but fill in the answers with English.
9. Do an interview with an elderly person. Report in English and discuss the comparisons of modern times and old times as illustrated by who you interview.
10. Leave a letter for your roommates, discussing how you would like to divide weekly chores. Appropriately include an introduction discussing how you would prefer to discuss this personally, but due to some timeing or communication constraints, you need to write the letter.
11. Fill out a customs form.
12. Finish a story: Read part of a short story in Arabic. After 2 pages, stop reading and write the end of the story yourself. Submit a copy of the first two pages from the short story and attach your version behind it.
13. Write a one-to-two-page anecdote.
14. Other project of your choice: Create your own writing skills project. Please discuss the details with the instructor.
You must complete one of the following long-term projects. You must choose your project in the first week of class. An update draft of your project is due each month on the 16th. The final draft is due with the entire portfolio on December 20.
1. Write an original short story.
2. Write a one-act play.
3. Write an autobiography.
4. Write a report on a novel you’ve read. The novel may be in Arabic or English.
5. Other project of your choice: Create your own writing skills project. Please discuss the details with the instructor.
Finally, . . . a journal
All students must submit a daily journal. You should write four times a week, 10 minutes each session. Topics should include anything you want to write about, including the fact that you may not want to write; write about how that feels. All work will be confidential and remain ungraded. However, the instructor may respond or ask you questions that you could answer in subsequent journal entries. You may wish to include vocabulary building projects such as ABC books, picture dictionaries, and semantic maps
4. Please follow this schedule for your progression to completion of the portfolio:
July 9 assignment of first writing skills item
July 16 individual discussion of idea with instructor
July 23 progress report to instructor (self-evaluation)
July 30 presentation to instructor and suggestions for improvement
(conference)
August 6 the first writing skills item and self-evaluation due
August 13 the final evaluation and modifications plus self-evaluation
August 9 assignment of the second writing skills item
August 16 individual discussion of idea with instructor
August 23 progress report to instructor (self-evaluation)
August 30 presentation to instructor and suggestions for improvement
(conference)
September 6 the second writing skills item and self-evaluation due
September 13 the final evaluation and modifications plus self-evaluation
September 9 assignment of the third writing skills item
September 16 individual discussion of idea with instructor
September 23 progress report to instructor (self-evaluation)
September 30 presentation to instructor and suggestions for improvement
(conference)
October 6 the third writing skills item and self-evaluation due
October 13 the final evaluation and modifications plus self-evaluation
October 27 the entire portfolio due
1. Throughout the semester, we will keep a record of your progress in a portfolio.
The first step is to create a container (folder, box, and so forth) for holding your portfolio items during the semester. You may decorate it as you wish and your name should be on the container. The speaking portfolio will be an individual assignment. Although you will be doing some group work, you alone will take care of your speaking portfolio.
A common portfolio consists of
• audio and video tapes
• self, peer, and/or instructor assessment charts
• supporting text
2. You will be required to submit several speaking skills items for your portfolio. You may choose the format and topic. Idea will be given in the following pages.
3. Each item included in the portfolio should be an example of your very best speaking, and you will have several opportunities to improve an item if you and the teacher are dissatisfied with the results.
Included in these items will be reading projects:
Required projects
Please choose from the following options. All samples must be audio- or videotaped.
a. Tape yourself giving a two-minute speech on one of the topics discussed during the course. You may re-record yourself as many times as you need to in order to product a perfect product.
b. In front of the class, give a one-minute speech on one of the topics discussed in class this term. You may regive the same speech more than once in an effort to produce a perfect product.
c. Videotape a role play between you and one or two of your classmates. A scripted dialog will not be accepted. You and your partner(s) may discuss the topic, who plays what role, and what the scenario might be, but you should not write down anything other than a few guiding notes. In addition, notes may not be used during the taping.
d. Videotape a series of interviews. Each member of the group should work as a questioner and each member of the group should act as an answerer. As a result, if there are three people in the group, there would be six interviews.
e. Leave important and detailed messages on the phone machine or voice mail of the instructor or your friends. Hand in the audiotape. Please discuss the content of the phone message with your instructor.
f. Make a videotape of yourself working on a recipe or building some project with your hands such as a sculpture or model, but without using anything to read. Describe what you’re doing and how you feel about it.
g. Create another project of your choice.
4. Please follow this schedule for your progression to completion of the portfolio:
July 9 assignment of first speaking skills item
July 16 individual discussion of idea with instructor
July 23 progress report to instructor (self-evaluation)
July 30 presentation to instructor and suggestions for improvement
(conference)
August 6 the first speaking skills item and self-evaluation due
August 13 the final evaluation and modifications plus self-evaluation
August 9 assignment of the second reading skills item
August 16 individual discussion of idea with instructor
August 23 progress report to instructor (self-evaluation)
August 30 presentation to instructor and suggestions for improvement
(conference)
September 6 the second speaking skills item and self-evaluation due
September 13 the final evaluation and modifications plus self-evaluation
September 9 assignment of the third reading skills item
September 16 individual discussion of idea with instructor
September 23 progress report to instructor (self-evaluation)
September 30 presentation to instructor and suggestions for improvement
(conference)
October 6 the third speaking skills item and self-evaluation due
October 13 the final evaluation and modifications plus self-evaluation
October 27 the entire portfolio due
5. Self-evaluation form: oral skills test
Please answer yes or no to the following questions:
1. Did I express myself well?
2. Was I grammatically accurate?
3. Was I fluent—in other words, was I able to get through the exercise without hesitating more than twice?
4. Did I find myself unable to say something I wanted to say?
5. Was my partner or audience secure with all I said?
6. Was my pronunciation accurate?
7. Was I better this time than I was last time?
Discuss the strengths of your project.
Discuss the weaknesses of your project
How would you evaluate your test?
_____ Completion. (You got through the test and did your best at the moment of taking it. 3 points possible)
_____ Overall assessment. (For each yes answer above, give yourself 1 point)
_____ Total Score (10 points possible)
1. Throughout the semester, we will keep a record of your progress in a portfolio.
The first step is to create a container (folder, box, and so forth) for holding your portfolio items during the semester. You may decorate it as you wish and your name should be on the container. The listening portfolio will be an individual assignment. Although you will be doing some group work, you alone will take care of your listening portfolio.
A common portfolio consists of
• audio and video tapes
• self, peer, and/or instructor assessment charts
• supporting text
• native language written reports
• built projects and/or designed artworks
• dictations and closes
• summaries of newscasts, TV and radio programs
2. You will be required to submit several listening skills items for your portfolio. You may choose the format and topic. Idea will be given in the following pages.
3. Each item included in the portfolio should be an example of your very best listening, and you will have several opportunities to improve an item if you and the teacher are dissatisfied with the results.
Included in these items will be reading projects:
Required projects
Please choose from the following options. All samples must be audio- or videotaped.
a. have a friend find a detailed picture
b.
c.
d.
4. Please follow this schedule for your progression to completion of the portfolio:
July 9 assignment of first listening skills item
July 16 individual discussion of idea with instructor
July 23 progress report to instructor (self-evaluation)
July 30 presentation to instructor and suggestions for improvement
(conference)
August 6 the first listening skills item and self-evaluation due
August 13 the final evaluation and modifications plus self-evaluation
August 9 assignment of the second reading skills item
August 16 individual discussion of idea with instructor
August 23 progress report to instructor (self-evaluation)
August 30 presentation to instructor and suggestions for improvement
(conference)
September 6 the second listening skills item and self-evaluation due
September 13 the final evaluation and modifications plus self-evaluation
September 9 assignment of the third reading skills item
September 16 individual discussion of idea with instructor
September 23 progress report to instructor (self-evaluation)
September 30 presentation to instructor and suggestions for improvement
(conference)
October 6 the third listening skills item and self-evaluation due
October 13 the final evaluation and modifications plus self-evaluation
October 27 the entire portfolio due
5. Self-evaluation form: oral skills test
Please answer yes or no to the following questions:
1. Did I express myself well?
2. Was I grammatically accurate?
3. Was I fluent—in other words, was I able to get through the exercise without hesitating more than twice?
4. Did I find myself unable to say something I wanted to say?
5. Was my partner or audience secure with all I said?
6. Was my pronunciation accurate?
7. Was I better this time than I was last time?
Discuss the strengths of your project.
Discuss the weaknesses of your project
How would you evaluate your test?
_____ Completion. (You got through the test and did your best at the moment of taking it. 3 points possible)
_____ Overall assessment. (For each yes answer above, give yourself 1 point)
_____ Total Score (10 points possible)